Women who advertised sexual services say they were raped

Two women posted advertisements for "sexual services" on websites, but when each showed up at an East Hemet house to meet a potential customer on different dates in July, they felt uncomfortable and tried to leave but told investigators the man raped them, according to court documents.

Now the man, James Brito, 27, of Hawthorne, is accused of nine criminal felony counts ranging from kidnapping to robbery, making criminal threats and rape involving two victims, in a complaint filed by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

Brito is scheduled to make an initial appearance in Riverside County Superior Court on Thursday, Aug. 18, to enter pleas in the case. He is being held on $2 million bail, according to jail records.

One 21-year-old victim placed an ad on Craiglists.com and met the man July 24 in the 41100 block of Sunset Lane in East Hemet. The second victim, age 23, said she placed an ad on Backpage.com for sexual services and reported being raped July 31 at an address on the same street , according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant.

Both victims describe their attacker as having facial tattoos and a ponytail. Investigators served search warrants and found the second victim’s shoes at one home. The defendant’s brother said Brito admitted sleeping with a “prostitute” on July 24, and had a bank card belonging to the victim.

Brito described the encounter with the second victim as consensual sex and denied meeting the first victim, according to court records.